Court Says FAA Can Allow Passenger Cellphone Use During Takeoff and Landing

WASHINGTON--Federal aviation officials acted within their authority in allowing airline passengers to use cellphone and other electronics during takeoffs and landings, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit threw out a lawsuit from the nation’s largest flight attendants union. The group challenged the change in guidance over use of small electronic devices. The 60,000-member Association of Flight Attendants argued that such devices can distract passengers from...